ZOA ‘adopts’ West Bank Community

The Zionist Organization of America has “adopted” the West Bank community of Ariel, highlighting its support for the Israeli government’s settlement policy and its opposition to the Bush administration’s push for a settlement freeze.

In a resolution passed Sunday in Washington, the ZOA’s National Executive Committee urged support of Ariel, a town of 10,000 in central Samaria, including business investment and the purchasing of housing.

The ZOA described its move as “consistent with its position that all Jews have a right to live, settle and to build communities without restriction in the historic land of Israel.”

As one way to implement the resolution, the organization, which claims 120,000 members, is considering holding a conference in Ariel sometimes this spring, said Paul Flacks, ZOA executive vice president.

He said the proposed conference would discuss with Israelis the problem of hasbara, or how to present Israel’s case to the American public.